08/20/2004: "You guest it...Olympic Pride Time"

music: Aerosmith's greatest hits ( $1 bootleg CD I bought vietnam)
mood: Optomistic

Ahhh the olympics. The time when the world dukes it out and copes with their inferiority ( or superiority) complex infront of millions of people. Amongst all the dirty talk ( Drugs, politics etc) that has increasingly been tainting what used to be a more civilized global event, there are some real stand outs inthese games. Those who represent the real spirit of the olympics.

The US has just officially become the leader of Gold, Silver, Bronze and total medals, and it's no wonder, we traditionally spend more money in training, technology, facilities, equipment and probably better drugs that have not been included in the screenings yet. All joking aside, our competetive natures and upraising contirbute to our "success".

I love when athletes are able to compete fairly and accept with grace and acknowledge being bested by someone who is fair and square the better and/or luckier athlete. I do love the Olympics, I love the stories of how people stuggled to get where there were and the sacrifices each makes. If you are fortunate enough to be born with the talent and determination to endure the training, you are a hero in my book.

Having trained from the age of 6 to be in the Olympics, and never QUITE getting there, I can certainly live vicariously off the pay off of actually getting to stand on that podium. No matter the country, national pride is put aside for a person that races and competes and proves themselves. I think we all root for our own countries but in the Olympic there are no sides when it comes down to a beautiful routine, a world record swim or a skillful strategic move that results in a win. With the exception of the occasional drug scandal and coverup, Athletes at that level seem to represent the good and the fair, and the classy and I love it. A little Positive press for a change.

I have been researching some of my favorite athletes from Barcelona, Calgery and Sydney...Whatever happened to these people....

You remember Justin Huish, cute kinda hippy Archery gold medlalist....he brought attention to the sport for the United States...just what the sport needed...and then...his "fall" from grace...

Justin...you silly twit...


Eddie the Eagle, Ski representative from England...quite a colorful life post olympics...colorful indeed


And now you know ..

Some Nominees for the best athletes this olympics... of course my favorite Lenny. This man is gorgeous, a Good Russian Jew, but palying for the American, Tutors Children, is SO nice, and a backstorker. Ah yeah... I have never seen him be sarcastic to a report that askes him a stupid question, he is a total champ and you know you have made it big when as a swimmer is on the internet boasting nude photos...big deal...he's practically naked on when he swims...and we are okay with that. Lenny, let's do lunch.

No exactly an athlete but embracing the spirit of a greek win in the worlds most RANDOM sport... Synchronized DIVING...Ron Bensimhom....embrace...and pay the consequences...

And where as I can't full get behind the synchornized diving, the best event that won't be shown probably at all, but doesn't take place until the last two days of the olympics...the pentahalon. Now this is just a total test of sportsmanship and all around athleticism.

Best name has to go to Dick Pound...World Anti-Doping Agency president. Now there is a business card you want. I wonder if he uses his porn name so that angry athletes banned for substance use don't find him and shove drugs down his throat.

You look at the American names of athletes and you would never know they are American...
or rather they represent I think what America is about.Or should be.

One thing about the Olympics I find interesting and a bit or a relief. Less time on TV spent bickering about the election and a small respite from the propoganda version of the War that is going on. If only we could battle it out and accept defeat in the pool, or the court, or the field, or the platform...